1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper waste disposal system particularly suited for use with continuous feed/continuous operation printing system wherein a shut-down of the printing is not desirable, however, an efficient and effective removal of various types of paper waste, including, paper trim, paper chad and dust, generated thereby is required.
2. Description of the Related Art
Despite the increasing popularity of digital and other electronic medium, the need to generate large quantities of paper documents continues to be great. Indeed, this need is actually increasing as a result of the popularity of the electronic media due to the increased rate of transactions and the relative ease with which printed records, confirmations and documents can be prepared, generated and forwarded. Accordingly, a large majority of the paper documents generated are derived from computer systems, and as a result, are created by printing system associated with the computer system.
Even though many printing jobs are associated with a single or a relatively small number of tasks, in many business environments, very large volumes of paper documents are frequently generated, often on a continuous basis. In these businesses, fast and powerful printers are utilized to generate a very large volumes of documents, often at an incredibly rapid rate, and in a continuous manner. Although in some instances individual sheets of paper may be utilized for the heavy duty printing system, the more common situation incorporates the use of linked or continuous paper streams, which can be separated subsequent to printing, thus ensuring a longer continuous feed of paper during printing. The most common types of continuous paper streams include roll feed paper and fan fold paper. Further, these types of continuous paper streams in many instances provide for substantially extended periods of use and/or the end to end joining of numerous paper supplies to ensure that substantially continuous printing is maintained without the need to interrupt the printing in order to add more paper to a printing bin.
The most common type of continuous feed or linked paper structure includes a track structure disposed on the opposite edges of the paper so as to facilitate the feeding of the paper through the printing system. Naturally, however, while the track structure is beneficial for passing the paper continuously through the printing system, the track structure also needs to be discarded, as it is not a part of the final paper document generated. The track structure typically utilized with continuous feed paper streams is generally comprised along opposite side edges of the paper. Furthermore, this track typically includes a series of holes defined along the edges of the paper and into which a toothed gear structure can be engaged to pull the paper through the printer. These holes are typically generated by the removal of a series of perforated paper segments, typically referred to as paper chad, which are essentially punched out of the paper trim, and often can remain with the paper as it is fed through the printing system. This paper chad, accordingly, provides a paper waste component which must be discarded. More significantly, however, once the printing has been completed, the individual paper sheets are separated from one another, including the removal of any perforations that may be present therebetween, and the track is removed from the side edges of the paper, thereby generating large volumes of typically long paper trim that must be efficiently discarded. Most commonly, the paper trim is removed by a burster, trimmer, stacker assembly (BTS) disposed in line as part of the printing system and which actually cuts and removes the paper trim, including any perforations that may be provided in the paper. Accordingly, there is a need for a system which provides for the effective and efficient removal and disposal of that paper waste, including the paper trim and paper chad, from the printing system, especially when the printing system is a high speed, continuous operation printing system through which paper is being fed at a high rate of speed. Also, such a disposal system should be configured to permit the continuous operation of the printing system without the risk of paper waste obstructing or otherwise decreasing the effectiveness of the printing.
The present methods developed for the disposal of paper waste in such printing systems, and especially those utilizing a BTS, includes the positioning of a bin in cooperative proximity to the printing system such that the paper trim and paper chad may merely fall or be blown into the bin, and the bin can subsequently be emptied. Unfortunately, such methods take up a large amounts of space and require a constant interruption in the cutting and trimming process and constant interchanging of bins in order to empty the full bins into a conventional trash compactor assembly. This is especially the case because the paper waste when dumped into a large bin tends to maintain a generally loose or fluffy configuration that quickly takes up more space than the actual paper volume being contained. Further, while the bins are removed and emptied, paper waste continues to be generated and large volumes of spillage can result if the high speed cycle is not at least temporarily interrupted. Also, it is noted that the emptying of the paper trim and/or paper chad into large bins has a tendency to generate large quantities of dust in the printing environment. Not only are the large quantities of dust potentially harmful to personnel in the printing room, but also the dust can tend to damage or deteriorate the printing system and other expensive operating systems within the printing room including expensive ventilation systems. As such, in addition to requiring an effective manner of removing paper trim and paper chad without requiring a shut down of the printing system and without resulting in a large volume of spillage, it would also be beneficial to provide a system which is substantially well contained and minimizes the generation and spread of dust, both as a result of the paper waste trimming and collection and as a result of the printing itself.
In addition to the above noted bin collection structures now in the art, other systems incorporate the spooling or rolling of the paper trim into large spools that can be discarded as a unit. Unfortunately, most spooling systems also require a large amount of space in close proximity to the printing system, and necessarily require a temporary shut down of the printing system in order to remove the spool for disposal. Furthermore, such systems do not adequately address the removal of non-continuous paper trim, nor of paper chad as well as dust from the printing system.
Accordingly, from the proceeding it would be highly beneficial to provide a paper waste disposal system which is specially adapted for use with high speed, continuous operation printing systems, and is capable of removing all paper waste, including paper trim, paper chad and dust particles in an efficient manner which does not provide for the release of excessive dust particulate into the air, does not require a shut down of the system in order to provide paper disposal, and does not require and excessive amount of space in the immediate vicinity of the printer for proper operation.